Sunday, August 29, 2010

It was no little thing when my friend Katie said she was sad and maybe in a state of depression. You see, her only two sisters (Susie and Nancy) have died in the last few years leaving her the last of her "Little Women" family. I knew this time her help would take more wisdom and insight than I could offer so I suggested that she go to "His High Places" a Christian retreat center in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Well, you know how it is to put your heart and mind into the hands of strangers -- no matter how highly they come recommended. She must have been desperate because she drove to Blowing Rock last week and tentatively settled into her little apartment for a week of peeling back the layers of pain to discover her old true self again.By Wednesday she called me to say she caught herself smiling as she was driving down the mountain for lunch. Something she said she couldn't remember doing for a long long time.Her counselor had assured her that Jesus was with her and for her and had great future plans for her even as she navigated through her pain. Did she dare hope? Was He really in this with her? Was it His will for her to be led to this place of beauty, grace and hope?When she sat down in the restaurant she noticed two women seated at the next table digging in to some delicious stuff. She asked them what to order and as women do they began to connect. They asked what brought her to the mountains and she told them about HHP. "Write that down" one of the women told the other. "You never know when we may need a place like that!" "We're sisters and we don't know what we would do if one of us left the other behind."As the meals drew to a close and everyone was heading to their cars they said their good-byes. By the way my friend said "I'm Katie."The sisters looked over their shoulders and one said ....."Oh, I'm Susie and this is my sister Nancy."